2016 COPO Camaro

Chevrolet built 69 COPO Camaro race cars for 2016, and extended the production legacy that began in 2012 with the fifth-generation Camaro. Like the previous editions, the new COPO Camaro was designed for NHRA’s Stock and Super Stock Eliminator classes.

Less mass and greater strength, along with the body’s sleeker profile in the wind, helped give racers an edge. It offered greater aerodynamic performance than the fifth-generation Camaro.

The show car featured a Red Hot exterior color with Courtney Force-signature graphics and red-accented grille trim. Under its carbon fiber high-rise hood is a concept 350 racing engine with a Whipple 2.9L supercharger.

“I was extremely honored to work with Chevrolet and help design the 2016 COPO Camaro we unveiled today at the SEMA show,” said Courtney Force. “The bright red color and the signature slash marks towards the back on the car bring a part of my Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car to the COPO Camaro, which I think is really cool. The proceeds from this car go to a great cause and benefit the United Way Foundation, so it’s an awesome project all around.”

The car’s exterior cues also include wheelie bars and a parachute, along with Goodyear racing tires mounted on Weld lightweight racing wheels.

The production COPO race cars were fitted with racing chassis and suspension components, including a unique solid rear axle system in place of a regular-production Camaro’s independent rear axle. Details include:

Lightweight, adjustable strut-type front suspension

Lightweight, racing-type four-wheel disc brakes (un-assisted)

Un-assisted rack-and-pinion steering system

Fuel cell with built-in high-pressure fuel pump

Unique racing wire harness.

When it comes to horsepower, racers could select from a variety of supercharged and naturally aspirated LS- and LT-family engines based on their intended NHRA Stock and Super Stock classes, including a supercharged 350 (5.7L), a naturally aspirated 427 (7.0L) engine and an all-new LT-based 376 (6.2L) engine. The engines were backed by a racing-prepped Turbo 400 three-speed automatic transmission.

Each COPO Camaro race car was built by hand starting with production hardware, including the same body in white used for production models.